About the High School Huddle

Welcome to the Citizen-Times' constantly-updated blog for Western North Carolina high school sports. Features include breaking news, scores and stats, college recruiting updates and live blogs from some of the marquee games in WNC. Readers are encouraged to comment on posts, but personal attacks on current athletes, coaches and their families will not be tolerated and are subject to edit or removal at the moderator's discretion.

Coaches have been named for the March 16 Blue-White All-Star basketball games at Roberson.

The Blue coaches are East Henderson’s Clint Loftin (boys) and North Buncombe’s Robby Parker (girls), while the White coaches will be Enka’s Brian Carver (boys) and West Henderson’s Robbie Lawrence (girls).

The Blue-White All-Star teams are annual exhibitions between seniors from Western North Carolina and benefit local children with developmental disabilities.

The boys game is in its 60th year and will start at 9 p.m. following the 36th edition of the girls game at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and will be available at the door.

Western North Carolina coaches have been asked to submit their statistical leaders each week in the following categories. Teams that did not turn in stats are not included. Coaches should send statistics each week by Thursday at 3 p.m. to apearson@citizen-times.com or fax to 251-0585.

Cherokee Central Schools has released this statement today as the investigation into an alleged hazing incident last month has been completed:

Cherokee, North Carolina, 01/12/12 – Cherokee Central Schools system would like to announce a resolution to a complaint received involving a community volunteer and staff. Principal Chief Michell Hicks stated, “Tribal Council and I are now aware of the substantial relevant facts of this situation and we would like to commend the Cherokee School Board for their concern and compassion in resolving this matter. We take these types of situations very seriously and have used due diligence in ascertaining the facts. I am confident the resolution to this situation will prevent future occurrences.”

Cherokee School board Chairperson Lori Blankenship stated, “On behalf of the Cherokee School Board, I wish to express my regret that this situation has taken so long to resolve. However, I feel confident that the findings of our investigation have resulted in a resolution that addresses the employee responsibilities and the schools obligations to volunteers and our students.”

Cherokee Centrals schools will work toward a solution for both the family and the school system. The employees placed on suspension will be reinstated, training will be mandated, appropriate policy directed disciplinary actions will take place, and an apology will be issued to the family. Cherokee Central Schools is operating as usual.

Erwin's Denzel McKnight has committed to play football for Fort Scott Community College in Kansas.

Erwin senior Denzel McKnight has committed to play football for Fort Scott Community College in Kansas.

McKnight earned All-Mountain Athletic Conference and All-WNC honors in 2011 after making 56 receptions for 782 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also had 54.5 tackles (six for losses) and five interceptions as a defensive back.

McKnight will be on scholarship at Fort Scott, the same school that former Warriors running back Martese Jackson played for last fall.

Jackson led the Greyhounds in rushing (1,109 yards) after playing just eight games. Erwin coach Mike Sexton said that Texas Tech and Nebraska are among the Division I programs which have expressed interest in signing Jackson once he graduates in the spring.

Asheville High senior Tysean Holloway will begin classes next week at Appalachian State.

Tysean Holloway will soon officially cross over from high school to college football.

The Asheville High senior left Wednesday for Boone so that he could enroll early at Appalachian State and participate in spring practice with the Mountaineers. Classes are scheduled to begin Monday.

Holloway was named last season’s Mountain Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 1,405 yards and 24 touchdowns for the MAC 3-A champion Cougars. He also made 16 receptions for 233 yards and two touchdowns in addition to throwing for 99 yards and a touchdown.

Holloway had over 4,000 career rushing yards and was still receiving scholarship offers as late as Monday (Eastern Michigan).

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A former high school wrestling coach has been banned from coaching at the school after he allegedly bit a coach from a rival school.

Police said the incident happened Saturday night during an argument at Vance High School. According to a police report, the coach of the Vance High School wrestling team and her father got into an argument with the Myers Park High School wrestling coach, Rick Stack over the registration process for the matches.

Tanner Cogdill and Smoky Mountain handed the Pisgah boys their first home loss of the season on Wednesday.

Tanner Cogdill came back to his basketball team’s bench for a huddle midway through the fourth quarter.

The scowl on the Smoky Mountain guard’s face was indicative of the intensity he played with Wednesday night.

Cogdill poured in a team-high 23 points and Will Carpenter added 19 to lift the Mustangs to a huge Western North Carolina Athletic Conference win at Pisgah, 78-71.

The home loss is the first of the season for the Black Bears (12-4, 4-2), who were led by Tyler Singleton (26 points) and Rory McClure (21).

Pisgah and Smoky Mountain came into Wednesday as two of four teams with one loss in the WNCAC. Franklin and Tuscola are the others.

The defending WNCAC champion Mustangs (10-3, 5-1) jumped out to a 39-29 halftime lead thanks to nine points apiece from Cogdill and Micah Carter. That advantage had shrank to four points at 55-51 to start the fourth quarter.